The idea of designing with a ‘socially conscious’ approach was a task that both intrigued and daunted me. While I’ve always felt I’ve had the ability to empathise with others and design for their needs, designing for preventing such a politically and ethically tentative subject, homelessness, was an area of design I hadn’t really considered.
The foundations of socially conscious design
The beginnings of what I believe became a successful project had started on wobbly ground. But it was throughout the project’s development that I was able to start being comfortable in the shoes of a socially conscious interior designer. The idea is that when considering a sensitive topic or issue, as a designer, one must practise an extent of empathy and compassion in their approach, as well as harnessing the needs of the client or group effectively to improve their situation.
In my case, the target users of the space we were designing was the youth homeless population in Poole. The socially conscious considerations in this aspect were their vulnerability as minors or young people, their lack of faith in a system they believe has failed them, their fragile social connections, scarce trust, and so on. The task was to design for the prevention, not the cure, of homelessness for these young people.
My approach was to target the most vulnerable of the group, young girls, as the statistics of their lack of safety put them in the spotlight for me and touched a personal place when it came to mental and psychological health.
My aims for achieving prevention
The design was for teenage girls (aged 14–19), especially those with undiagnosed neurodiversity or mental health conditions. I articulated the roots of the issue in systemic misdiagnosis, strained family relationships, cultural taboos, and a lack of early intervention. Many girls tend to ‘mask’ neurodivergence subconsciously, and this is a large factor in why many are overlooked for their struggles. So, my design needed to incorporate a space where they felt heard, respected, and empowered, as well as educating their families on understanding them better and equipping them with the skills needed to build healthy relationships with their vulnerable child.
I felt that by homing in on the female population in this group that I would be able to better respond to their needs as a designer, seeing as aspects of their vulnerability lie parallel to my own teenage years. Unfortunately, many who feel misunderstood and perhaps even unsafe or unwelcome in their own homes due to their neurological differences, feel pushed to escape their homes to live on the streets, which is by far more dangerous. It was crucial that my design responded to the dangers of living on a cliff-edge decision like leaving home too young as a vulnerable person, with care and understanding.
A user-centric design approach was not only useful but also necessary in encapsulating the user’s experience within the space and understanding, from their perspective, how the dynamics of the space need to be conducted to work for everyone using it – from the vulnerable young girls and their families to the volunteers that work there, and the professional counsellors that are hired to work from the centre. The creation of multiple user archetypes was therefore a key conductor in my design’s evolution.
My proposed solution – “The Haven Project”
I conceptualised a multi-purpose intervention centre that blends therapeutic design, nostalgic environments, and community-based services. Amongst the elements of design were ample social spaces, counselling spaces for both individuals seeking support and families needing guidance, and wall designs hosting multiple interactive sections and thought-provoking words from inspirational women to empower those who feel their situation is inescapable, as there is almost always a way to turn the negative into a positive. Being not just reminded but surrounded by hope and proof can in itself convince those vulnerable to push through to a stronger mind and healthier outlook, alongside the accountability and guidance of professionals and loved ones.
I aimed to help heal fractured family dynamics with a steady and non-intrusive approach to truly harness the socially conscious aims. Talking therapy and a recreation of nostalgia by simply spending time in the space with other healing young people proved to be a powerful combination in my approach.
Integrating CAD technical drawings
Despite my analogue sketching methods, I was able to slowly form my design visions from paper to screen using AutoCAD, an industry software that is important to harness as a budding interior architect like myself. The integration of this technology helped to professionally present my ‘scribbles’ and perspective sketches into a much clearer design. The curvature of my walls and furniture indirectly emphasised the safety and inclusivity of the space, making it stand out on AutoCAD as a space that was thought of consciously and in favour of its users’ needs and fragile situations.
The outcome?
By designing my space with careful consideration of the users’ needs and sustainability of the project’s impact long term for the user, I was able to create an intervention centre to capture the problems they are facing – before it pushes them out of a safer space and onto the streets.
